George William Stewart Laver (1887 - 1958)

Born 11 Aug 1887 in Jarratt, Oro Township, Simcoe, Ontario, Canada

Ancestors

Husband of Elsie (Furness) Laver — married 23 May 1914 in Trinity Church, Barrie, Simcoe County, Ontario

Descendants

Died 7 Apr 1958 at age 70 in Township of Toronto, County of Peel, Ontario, Canada

Biography

George William Stewart Laver was born at Jaratts Corners, in Oro Township. He grew up and worked on his father's farms at Jarratts Corners, at Ardrea, on lot 5 Cons 7 in North Orillia Township and at lots 1 and 2 cons 6 in South Orillia Township. George was a butcher and also worked for the Tudhope Carriage and Motor Car Company in Orillia.

George met and married Elsie Furness, who taught school in Oro Township, who was living in the red brick home her grandfather had built in 1876, at the north west corner of West Street and Champlain in Orillia. The home is still standing today. George and Elsie Laver along with Elise's grandmother Susan Furness came to the Village of Erindale in the Township of Toronto, from their hometown of Orillia, after their marriage in Barrie on May 23, 1914. George and Elsie were employed by Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Mercer, who had an Estate Farm "Mercervale Farm" on the south side of Dundas Street east of Glengarry Road. They lived in the large Estate house and looked after the Mercers Livestock, (Farm Manager) and my Grandfather collected the rent from the Toronto Milling Company workers houses at Barbertown. Frederick Mercer owned the Company and a Mr. Millichamp was the manager, (possibly related to the Orillia Millichamps). Their daughter Jessica Geraldine was born there May 3, 1915. George, Elsie and Jessica Geraldine moved to Cooksville in 1916, to a house on Centre Road that was just south of where Floradale Drive is now. Their sons Keith George and Ernest William where born there March 15, 1917 and November 18, 1918, and Elsie's grandmother Susan Furness passed away there July 30, 1918. George now had acquired a job as an operator with Ontario Hydro Electric Commission, at the Sub Station on the Centre Road which was just north of the now Queensway Drive, and on April 15t,1919 purchased 2.14 acres of land on Upper Middle Road from John E. Ezard, which is now called Queensway Drive West. The next house they lived in was on Given Road, and it is still there and has changed very little. "3059 Given". It was there August 15, 1921 their son Eric Francis was born. While living at Given Road they cleared the land on Upper Middle Road of pine trees and planted it out in orchard and grew fruit and vegetables. In 1923 the family of six moved into a new two storey red brick home that they had built with some of the timber off the land. Their fifth and last child, Norman Barry was born there August 23, 1924. Purchasing more land in 1923, 1927 and 1929 they now had over 12 acres under cultivation. "In 1929 George was growing two varieties of rasberries new to the district, called Viking and Latham. He owned five acres of land, closely planted in fruit. Since he was employed at the Hydro Substation, located not far from his home at Hurontario Street and Upper Middle Road, Mrs Laver, also an ardent gardening enthusiast, took charge of much of the work on the farm". Along with the working on the farm, George worked at the Hydro for thirty-five years. George was also a trustee and secretary treasurer for fifteen years on the Cooksville School Board and an active member of the Orange Lodge and the Masonic Lodge. George and Elsie, with Norman's help, ran the fruit farm and sold their produce at the St. Lawrence Market in Toronto until the late 1950s. Son Norman continued to run the fruit farm until it was sold in 1968 to developers for office buildings and apartments.

The red brick home stood on what is now the north east corner of Confederation Parkway and Queensway West, opposite the Mississauga Trillium Hospital

Birth Registration # 032219-87 August 11,1887 * (* Birth date correction) Marriage Registration # 019988-14 May 23,1914

Services Today For Late George Laver Thursday, 10th of April, 1958

Widely mourned is George William Laver, who passed away on Monday at the Toronto Western Hospital. In his 69th year (*71st year), Mr. Laver was a member of the Cooksville Orange Lodge, and the Mississauga Masonic Lodge and for 15 years had served as secretary-treasurer of the Cooksville Public School Board. Born August 11, 1889 (*1887), in Orillia, he was married there, some 45 years ago, to the former Elsie Furness. The couple moved to Cooksville about 1814, and for 39 years, Mr. Laver was employed as an operator at Cooksville by the Ontario Hydro Electric Power Commission. Following a heart attack seven years ago he retired, and for the past two years he had been in rapidly failing health, suffering recurring heart seizures. His home was on Upper Middle Road, Cooksville. Left to mourn with his wife are one daughter Geraldine (Mrs. J. H. Higgins) of Cooksville and four sons, Keith of Cooksville; Major Ernest Laver of Oakville; Eric of Toronto, and Norman at home. Also surviving are ten grand-children. Funeral services will take place today, Thursday, April 10, at 1:30pm in Skinner and Middlebrook Chapel, Port Credit, with internment following in Spring Creek Cemetery, Clarkson. Canon G. F. Banks of St. Peter's Anglican Church, Erindale, will officiate, and pallbearers will be friends Ed. Waller, Angus Follet, Alex Thomas and William Courtney, a grandson William Higgins, and a nephew Reginald Thomson. Buried in Springcreek Cemetery, Clarkson. ( * From 1887 Birth Record )

By William Higgins, Grandson 2005